Thermos touts water usage with chemical-free product

November 07, 2008
by Jaimy Lee

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL: Thermos launched a campaign called "Hydration for All" on November 3 to educate consumers about the health benefits of drinking water and to promote its Intak, a new Bisphenol A (BPA)-free Thermos.

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL: Thermos launched a campaign called “Hydration for All” on November 3 to educate consumers about the health benefits of drinking water and to promote its Intak, a new Bisphenol A (BPA)-free Thermos.

Wheatley & Timmons, AOR for Thermos for the last four years, is providing support for the effort, which should continue into early 2009, said Mary Clare Middleton, VP and director of consumer brands for the Chicago-based agency. Budget was not disclosed.

The target demographic is families, specifically mothers, one main reason why Sweeney, herself a mother, was brought on as a spokesperson, said Rick Dias, EVP of sales and marketing at Thermos.

Sweeney's work with The Biggest Loser, a weight loss TV show, was another tie-in. Thermos aims to educate consumers about proper hydration with the addition of the new product and hydration facts posted to the Web site. The Intak has a meter to mark the user's daily water consumption.

Dias noted that the online focus was important to the effort. “Young parents today generally get more information online,” he said.

Included on the site is a blog and information about Charity Water. For every $5 that a consumer donates, Thermos will make its own donation in support of an initiative to build wells in communities in Ethiopia and Liberia. (Middleton declined to give the total amount of money Thermos will donate.)

Media outreach is being directed at family and parenting, and health and wellness publications, as well as online outlets, Middleton said.

BPA, a hot topic for the FDA and several large retailers, is “top of mind for everyone,” Dias added, though the Intak isn't the first Thermos product to be BPA-free.